Why did Hagler never move up to 175lb?

[#1Assassin]

I'm curious for any guys who were alive during the Fab Four era and saw those great fighters, why did Hagler never move up in weight? He was more than happy fighting guys who were smaller than him and often complained about not having superstar status like SRL or being recognised as the best fighter on the planet but if he wanted that, then surely he could or should have moved up in weight?

Previous world champions at the weight had done it before him as did future champions/titlists, Eubank, Benn, RJJ, Hopkins all come to mind. Why didn't Hagler do it? He was such a great fighter with an awesome chin, he really could have caused a stir in what was a good era for the division at 175lb.

number of reasons. first of all he wasnt a big MW to begin with, those future titleholders mentioned were all significantly bigger than hagler was at the weight. more importantly i think he identified himself as a MW, like someone mentioned he was proud of being able to make the weight for so long. once champion he set out to break monzons record for defenses and then to become the best MW in history. he considered it his division, the statement he wanted to make in his career was that while he is fighting thats his weightclass, his belts and he isnt giving any of it up. even if it was willingly to try his luck in another division, he just had no interest or motivation in doing it.

[soul_survivor]

How do you figure Robinson being small for a middleweight?

he was a 5'11 which is a great height for a welterweight and pretty much average for middleweight but he was a slim guy who spent a lot of his time at 147, so he was smaller than many natural middleweight, although Hagler was a bit shorter he was better built at the weight. And SRR managed to move up to 175 with that frame and do very well.

Because that would have meant actually stepping outside of his comfort zone, which was something he wasn't willing to do. He wasn't willing to take any big risks in his career, especially one that likely would have resulted in him taking a likely beating.

Hagler still had some tough fights at 160, so he wasn't constantly in a comfort zone but like I said, he could have faced better opponents

number of reasons. first of all he wasnt a big MW to begin with, those future titleholders mentioned were all significantly bigger than hagler was at the weight. more importantly i think he identified himself as a MW, like someone mentioned he was proud of being able to make the weight for so long. once champion he set out to break monzons record for defenses and then to become the best MW in history. he considered it his division, the statement he wanted to make in his career was that while he is fighting thats his weightclass, his belts and he isnt giving any of it up. even if it was willingly to try his luck in another division, he just had no interest or motivation in doing it.

very good points made here, can't really argue with many of them.

What I was trying to get at with this thread is that Hagler often whinged about not getting recognised as much as Leonard but the great SRL often went out of his way to fight bigger guys, if Hagler had done some of the same, he may not have had to suffer being labeled second best.

[MartinC]

Being undisputed champ as long as he was is a greater challenge and accomplishment than winning a bunch of generic abc titles at different weights.

[Fangedgrowl]

Back then behind the heavyweight title was he king in boxing. The middleweight champ was arguabl the 2nd most prestigeous title. Plus hagler had plenty of big name competition in his weight class, plus the 154 lb class had some nice fighters who usually moved up. Hagler was a average sized middleweight who weighed 157 and even 156 in a couple of defenses. He could make 154 way easier than 175. 168 was in its infancy in those days too.

[Ham Porter]

Hagler being able to make 154.

This is completely absurd.

It's only absurd to someone who has some sort of emotional attachment to Hagler. And it's very easy to use it as a stick to beat Hagler as he made a career out of calling out and challenging fighters from lower weight classes to move up to his weight and fight him.

[soul_survivor]

Hagler being able to make 154.





It's only absurd to someone who has some sort of emotional attachment to Hagler. And it's very easy to use it as a stick to beat Hagler as he made a career out of calling out and challenging fighters from lower weight classes to move up to his weight and fight him.

That's what I'm trying to say, he moaned and moaned about SRL ducking him...a career welterweight lol He wore his destruction of Hearns as a badge of honour, another career welterweight.

I'm not beating on Hagler, he had a great run and ranks among my greatest ever fighters but surely he shouldn't have whinged so much about recognition if he was going to take less risks then his oft mentioned contemporaries?

Back then behind the heavyweight title was he king in boxing. The middleweight champ was arguabl the 2nd most prestigeous title. Plus hagler had plenty of big name competition in his weight class, plus the 154 lb class had some nice fighters who usually moved up. Hagler was a average sized middleweight who weighed 157 and even 156 in a couple of defenses. He could make 154 way easier than 175. 168 was in its infancy in those days too.

well Hagler, for almost the entirety of his career lacked great opposition until guys like Hearns, Duran and later SRL moved up. Those 3 wins make his resume from very good to great, imagine what a quality win or 2 at 175 would have done for him.

And no, he would have been terribly drained at 154.

[Scott9945]

That's what I'm trying to say, he moaned and moaned about SRL ducking him...a career welterweight lol He wore his destruction of Hearns as a badge of honour, another career welterweight.

I'm not beating on Hagler, he had a great run and ranks among my greatest ever fighters but surely he shouldn't have whinged so much about recognition if he was going to take less risks then his oft mentioned contemporaries?

Tommy Hearns was NOT a "career welterweight". He was a huge guy who hadn't made welter in almost four years when he fought Hagler. And since he went on to win the 175 lb title, it is ridiculous to suggest that he was physically mismatched against Hagler.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Tommy Hearns was NOT a "career welterweight". He was a huge guy who hadn't made welter in almost four years when he fought Hagler. And since he went on to win the 175 lb title, it is ridiculous to suggest that he was physically mismatched against Hagler.

I was about to make that same point.. Hearns was a legit mw.. And even Duran went on to win a mw belt, though he wasnt a true mw

[soul_survivor]

Tommy Hearns was NOT a "career welterweight". He was a huge guy who hadn't made welter in almost four years when he fought Hagler. And since he went on to win the 175 lb title, it is ridiculous to suggest that he was physically mismatched against Hagler.

Hearns was at his very best at welterweight, would you disagree with that?

His chin couldn't handle punches from far bigger guys and his power didn't always hold up well.

But my point is this, it's all fair fighting great names like Hearns and Duran who are, let's be honest, smaller guys than Hagler but why not stretch out for more greatness and pick on bigger guys? Hearns and Leonard made a career out of it. Oscar did too but wasn't always successful, more recently Pacquiao and Mayweather have done the same.

I was curious when I started this thread to hear from guys who were alive during the 70s and 80s and knew of any challenges made to Hagler by light heavy champs or if Hagler ever spoke about moving up fighting those guys. Did he ever seem to want it?

[Marcov]

Tommy Hearns was NOT a "career welterweight". He was a huge guy who hadn't made welter in almost four years when he fought Hagler. And since he went on to win the 175 lb title, it is ridiculous to suggest that he was physically mismatched against Hagler.

Hearns was awesome at light heavy!